Riuva : Research Institute for Unicultural Visual Arts

Instead of the usual 13 episodes per season, season 3 of Maria-sama ga Miteru (MSGM) consists of only 5 OVAs that are approximately an hour long each. After the wrapping up of season 2, I have convinced myself that the OVAs would serve as final touch-ups to the MariaMite series. However, I was wrong as I realised that there will be a season 4 when I have completed the 5th OVA. After gaining permission to post articles on MSGM (we Riuvasians have a good boss), I found out that Karura  from Azure Flame Reloaded did a review on season 3. Another post that I would recommend will be ThirteenSugars episode summary on OVA 1 if anyone is interested as it’s detailed and is filled with great pictures. In my first section, I’ll explain the confusing soeur system and other MSGM’s terminologies and then move on to my award presentation ceremony for the various OVAs. My first section has no direct link with my award presentation ceremony as it only serves as a guide for those who have no clue but is interested in knowing how the soeur system works and such. Hence, those short on time or those who are well equipped with the soeur system knowledge can move on to the award ceremony instead.

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Not for the sensitive or the weak at heart!!! You’re warned!!!

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Background knowledge for the clueless (I)

Lilian Girls’ School is a Catholic school that provided education for maidens. It’s equivalent to a Junior College standard and students have to study 3 years before taking the university entrance exams. As it’s set in a Catholic based environment, there are a couple of rules that all students try their best to follow. Students are to walk slowly and graciously when in the school grounds, perform prayers every morning, ensure that their unifrom is always neat and tidy at all times and they are to formally greet each other along the way. In Lilian School, there’s a soeur system where a senior student will select a new student as her little sister and will act as her anchor of supporter in any areas. Such a bond is created through the simple presentation of a rosary from a senior to a junior. The plot revolves around Yuki Fuzukawa, a first year student, who is quite simple in the head and has her emotions written all over her face. By a stroke of luck, she became the petite soeur (little sister) of Sachiko Ogasawara (2nd year student) and hence made her way into the student council (aka Yamayurika) of Lilian School. The story then revolves around Yuki and the few council members in the Yamayurika.

When you first start watching, one will be confused with all the French terms that appear in the anime. I have prepared a guide to help everyone better understand the complicated French terms that are used in the student council ranking systems.

• petite soeur - lower classman, grande soeur - upper classman
• The Yamayurika is made up of 3 groups (aka families) and each family is represented by a different rose colour. (Red, White, Yellow)
• The leader of each family has a title and their respective petite soeur will inherit their positions once they graduate.
• The 3 different families are the Chinesis Family, the Gigantea Family and the Foetida Family.
• The leaders take on the titles; Rosa-Chinesis, Rosa-Gigantea and Rosa-Foetida respectively.
• Taking the Chinesis Family as an example, the power structure would be something like the below.

Head of Chinesis Family (3rd year)	Petite soeur of Rosa-Chinesis (2nd year)	Petite soeur of Rosa-Chinesis en bouten (1st year)
Rosa-Chinesis	Rosa-Chinesis en bouten	Rosa-Chinesis en bouten petite soeur

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